Monday, January 25, 2010

Speak Up - On Covers and Lists

It's a simple question: Do white kids really avoid books with brown, black, or Asian faces on the cover? Mitali Perkins is taking a poll over at her blog, asking booksellers, librarians, and teachers to weigh in (anonymously) in an attempt to get some statistics.

This comes just after a second "white-washed" cover controversy in the children's book world (this time for Bloomsbury's Magic Under Glass after last year's Liar controversy). In both cases, the books were written by white authors and the cover image was of a white female... which didn't match the story inside. Is this about the bottom line only? And is there anything to show that books can't or don't cross over? Weigh in!

On a lighter note, Betsy Bird (aka Fuse8) is doing another list - this time, the Top 100 Children's Fictional Chapter Books. We're talking middle grade here, though you can read more specifically at her blog. Give her a list of 10 and then tune back in for the countdown. Her picture book poll rocked, and I'm sure this one will, too. So go on... vote!

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